The present invention relates to a flat display apparatus such as an FED (Field Emission Display) unit using display elements comprising typically electron emission devices laid out to form a matrix and pieces of fluorescent material each emitting light due to electrons emitted by the electron emission devices.
As the electron emission devices, a MIM (Metal-Insulator-Metal) type electron source is used. The MIM electron source has a structure comprising three thin film layers, which serve as an upper electrode, an insulator and a lower electrode respectively. The display apparatus adopts an FED driving technique connecting the upper electrode to a column electrode (or a signal electrode) and the lower electrode to a row electrode (or a scanning electrode). A typical FED driving technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-83907. In accordance with this reference, a scanning electrode is associated with a group of pixel rows and the pixel group is driven sequentially one row after another.
A second prior art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-341365. In accordance with this reference, a scanning electrode driven sequentially is associated with a group of pixels on pair rows to form a double-matrix electron pattern used in a liquid crystal driving circuit. The second-prior art can be applied also to the FED unit.